Gwador o Dunèdain: Haithin an Estel
by HoshikoIzumi
Summary: This is the first in the accounts of Gwador o Dunèdain. Estel and Legolas did not always know each other, nor were they particularly the best of friends. Legolas holds much distrust for humans, and is not easily convinced.
1. Default Chapter

**Summary: This is the first in the accounts of Gwador o Dunèdain. Estel and Legolas did not always know each other, nor were they particularly the best of friends. Legolas holds much distrust for humans, and is not easily convinced. **

**Name translations: Gwador o Dunèdain: Brother of [the] Dunèdain; Haithin an Estel: Departing with Hope**

**Other translations: ada: father; mae govannen: well met [elvish greeting]; mellon nin: my friend**

Disclaimer: I do not own Estel/Aragorn/Elessar etc. Nor Legolas, nor Thranduil nor any others in this fan fiction. This is for all chapters from this time forward. 

Haithin an Estel

Estel laid the book he was looking through down on the table next to his chair. Elven medical books were of no interest to the young man at the moment. The chair was soft and comfortable in the library, but he still shifted in discomfort. 

Estel was one and twenty years of age, coming back to Rivendell only a year after being in the wild. He had been with a group of rangers for that year, but a letter had come from Lord Elrond asking for his return. It would have been foolish to say no to the Lord of Imladris, so Estel had come immediately. Of course, in the wild he would not have been addressed as Estel. 

The name had given him enough grief as a child, Elladan and Elrohir never letting him hear the end of it. Elladan and Elrohir: the perfect big brothers. They were full grown when Estel had come to the Last Homely Houses, and had always been the ones to cuff him on the shoulder when they thought it proper. The name Estel had always been the butt-end of jokes. In the Wild, he had had no doubt that he would have gotten more, so he had used his true name: Aragorn. But, as if some odd fate had befallen upon him, he had been given another name, Strider. Something in the back of his mind told him he would have many more to come. 

His thoughts were interrupted when the door to the library opened suddenly, making him jump. It was Elladan. 

'Estel!' he said, and walked nimbly over to the chair, playfully nudging his younger brother with his elbow. 'You haven't jumped like that since we put the spider on your nose as a child.' Estel hid a smirk. 

'I was thinking, dear brother.' Estel remarked, and picked up the book, putting it back on its correct spot on the shelf.

'My, that is a nice change.' Elladan nodded, 'and reading! You have spent too much time with Elrohir.' Indeed, though the twins were identical with looks, Elrohir had proved the one more logical. 

'I read more than you think.' Estel said, and Elladan nodded. 

'Obviously. What were you thinking about?'

'Your cruelty to me as a child.' Elladan laughed, and Estel shrugged. 'I would not be surprised if I was not traumatized from your constant picking and gloating.' 

'Gloating?' Elladan huffed indignantly, and stuck his nose in the air. 'What would I possibly gloat about.' 

'I am the son of Elrond, the greatest elf-lord in the world! I am wiser, more agile, and quicker than you will ever be!' Estel said with so much sarcasm that Elladan burst out laughing. 

'So I was pompous when I was younger. I have ceased.' 

'You were pompous when _I was younger.' Elladan waved off the comment, and strode to the other side of the room. _

'Are you nervous?' he asked, and Estel stopped, lifting an eyebrow. 

'Of what?' he asked, and Elladan looked at him sharply. 

'Ada did not tell you of why you were called to come here again?'

'No, he just said he would like me to come.' Estel contorted, and Elladan grinned. 

'Then I will not tell you and ruin a surprise. But if you have had enough of Elrohir and me…' he shook his head and left with out another word. Estel could hear him chuckling to himself. 

'Sometimes he nearly proves my thoughts that all elves are suspicious.' Estel muttered, and winced when he heard another voice behind him. 

'Are they?' the voice said, and Estel turned to face Lord Elrond. 

'I am sorry, Lord Elrond, I did not mean that.' He said quickly, and Lord Elrond smiled. 

'Having nearly all your time spent with the twins, I would not be surprised of that observation.' He himself chuckled at the numerous times he had witnessed Elladan and Elrohir trick Estel into thinking something totally inaccurate of elves. He then remembered his purpose and motioned to the door. 'Estel, I have an errand for you to run.' 

Prince Legolas looked out over the place that was Imladris. He had only been here thrice before, and it still caught him with wonder. He had been summoned by the Lord of Imladris twenty days prior to now, and had come as quickly as he could. 

He had been friends with the twins since his birth, since they were slightly older than he, and spent his childhood with them. He saw them mostly when their father came to visit, though he himself had come to Imladris twice as a child. He had always been good friends with them and they got along fine. 

This time he was not here to see the twins, he was here because Elrond had seemed urgent. Thranduil had said Legolas had better hurry after reading the letter, for Thranduil and Elrond were good friends, and he knew Elrond's actions well. It was undoubtedly something of importance. 

Legolas ceased with a rather enjoyable flashback when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Elrohir standing there. 

'Mellon nin!' Legolas said with a smile, but Elrohir did not smile back. 

'Mellon? You disappear from here for years with out a word or letter, and yet you greet me with _mellon.' He said; the bitterness in his voice made Legolas furrow his brow. _

'Elrohir, are you all right?' he asked, and his genuine concern made Elrohir suddenly burst out laughing. 

'You, my friend, are too gullible!' he proclaimed, and Legolas' concern turned into a hearty laugh and playful shove. 

'You are too good the actor!' Legolas said; he had thought Elrohir was truly angry with him. 

'It has been a bore with out you here to help with pranks.' Elrohir said, and put an arm around Legolas' shoulder. Legolas just shook his head, and laughed. 

'You are still pulling those things on poor people?' he asked, and Elrohir nodded. 

'Yes, I have a particularly good one we have recently played on father, would you like to hear of it?' Legolas shook his head, and Elrohir started off on the tale. Both were laughing by the end of it, and it was only when Elrond's face appeared did they stop abruptly, though not hiding smiles. 

'Legolas, mae govannen!' he greeted warmly, and Legolas bowed. 'I am glad you have answered my summons.' 

'What were they about, Lord Elrond?' Legolas asked, and Elrond put up a hand. 

'Before that I would like you to meet a young man of Imladris,' he said, and Estel stepped forward, 'Estel.' Legolas tried to hide his distaste. It was true, he was a man, short, scruffy, and… odorous. Now, you must understand Legolas' views on men. He did not hate them, but he merely did not understand them. Living in the woods of Mirkwood for years had cut him off from most of the world, for men rarely traveled inside its dark borders. He had always been wary of their rough ways, odd dress, and harsh tongues. He hid it successfully, though, and Estel nodded to him. He nodded back. 

'I am Legolas, son of Thranduil.' He said in greeting and Estel nodded again. 

'I am known as Strider by most.' 

'Yes, Estel seems an odd name for someone.' Legolas said, and Elrohir nodded. 

'Yes, that is what we told ada, but he insisted on naming him so.' Elrohir said, and Elrond waved it off. 

'It is a good name.' he said, and looked at Estel and Legolas, 'now, the reason I called you both here was because I have a task for you to perform together. One that I only entrust to the two of you, and here it is.' He held out a letter, giving it to Legolas, 'I would like you to deliver this to the Lady Galadriel.' Legolas felt the color drain from his face, and his heart stop.

'Pardon me, my Lord, but… you would like us to deliver a letter?' he said, disbelief written on his face. Even Estel was not ready for something of this… simplicity. 

'Yes, is that too hard for you to do?' Elrond said, and Legolas found his dignity quickly, shaking his head. 

'Not at all my lord, but would you not send… a messenger to do such a thing, instead of both of us?' 

'No, not any messenger. Only you two will do, it is very important.' Elrond said, and Estel's voice came in a hoarse whisper. 

'Of course, my lord.' He said, and bowed again, and Elrond smiled. 

'Thank you. I would like you to leave tomorrow, it must arrive as quickly as possible.' Elrond said, and turned, leaving Legolas to still look at him with extreme disbelief. 

'A mere letter!' Legolas fumed when he was well out of ear range, and Estel shook his head, walking back to the library, 'could not _Strider_ do it himself?' Elrohir lifted his eyebrows, and crossed his arms. 

'Do you find something wrong with my younger brother? He asked, and Legolas crinkled his nose. 

'He is dirty, and… he smells like…' 

'A man who has been in the Wild for a year.' He said, and Legolas nodded. 

'Exactly!'

'You do not like him because of what he looks and smells like?' Elrohir was looking rather annoyed by now, and Legolas sighed. 

'I hold little trust in men.' He said, remembering the tales that his father had told him about the Last Alliance. Elrohir immediately knew the feeling that Legolas had, and he sighed too. 

'The Last Alliance is not something to base opinions on. Those were extreme times and not all men are the same.' Elrohir said, for he had spent many times with the Rangers of the North, along with Elladan. He knew that there were differences to be found in each. 'He is not a dwarf, though he will soon grow a beard like one if he does not shave.' Elrohir laughed at his own joke, but Legolas breathed heavily, and Elrohir took his mind off the subject with something else as they walked through the gardens. 

A golden-haired elf stood around the corner that Elrond walked past, and caught him by surprise. 

'Are you sure that was the wisest thing to do?' he asked, and Elrond frowned. 

'What are you talking about, Glorfindel?' he asked, and Glorfindel shook his head. 

'There was much tension, my friend, between the two. I'm sure you could see it.' Glorfindel said, and Elrond sighed as they walked together to Elrond's study. 

'Legolas will merely have to get over his prejudices,' he answered curtly, and Glorfindel shook his head. 'Besides, I have good reason for him to get over them now. Times are to get darker, and there may be times when they will need to have a friendship formed.' 

'I hope you are correct, my friend.' Glorfindel answered, and looked out the window of the study, where Legolas walked with Elrohir. 


	2. To Learn Tolerance

**Translations: Post: stop; Lasbelin: autumn leaf (all translations are Sindarin-English, btw)**

Howdy all. Wahahah! Omg, I'm tired. NEWAYS I'm glad you all like the first chapter. -()-/^_^\-()- AAAWWWWW!!! Lolz… So, I'm on crack… tell me something I dunno! Hehe… ok, here's the deal… I'm really close to failing this huge Spanish final I have, and I really need to work on it, so chapters might not appear for... two weeks. I know, I just got started on it, but if I fail this class there will be no more chapters. =/ Which would murder me. Really, it would. So, I'm sorry. 

**~Hoshiko**

To Learn Tolerance

The two left the next morning on horses. As Elladan and Elrohir waved them off with Elrond and Glorfindel, they turned in unison and walked off the other way. 

'They're going to kill themselves…' Elladan said, shaking his head. 

'Or each other,' Elrohir added, making Elrond look at them sharply. They did not seem to notice, though, and they kept walking. Glorfindel put a hand on Elrond's shoulder, giving him a look that said I-told-you-so. 

'They will work things out,' Elrond pushed, and Glorfindel shook his head with out a word, going to get something to eat. Elrond rubbed his temples before going back into his study. 

The two companions rode silently to the High Pass. Both had packs heavy with food and provisions. Day fell into night, and both thought it proper to stop. They did so, and started a fire, Strider insisting he go and hunt. Legolas did not care either way, he would be alone. Strider took out his hunting bow and went out into the forest, going quietly. Legolas was rather surprised, for from his understanding, men did not trod ground softly. He shrugged it off, though, and ate a lembas quietly. 

Strider looked closely at the ground. There were newly-made deer tracks imprinted into the rain-softened earth, and they were going north. One year on his own had given him the needed tracking skills he had. Many more were skills were to be earned as the years multiplied. He followed them quickly and quietly until he could see his prize grazing in a patch of grass. He took careful aim, shot, and hit it square in the chest. It gave out a strange cry and fell to the ground. To tell the truth, that was a rare shot for him, for his skills with a bow were limited greatly. 

Strider went over to it and slit its throat to make sure it was dead, and picked it up. It was a younger deer, but would give extra meat, and he carried it back to camp. When he returned Legolas raised an eyebrow at his return, and looked at the deer. 

'That was quick.' He said shortly, and Strider nodded. 

'He was easily tracked.' He said just as shortly, and went to cutting it up. This he did quickly, and Legolas looked the other way in distaste when blood started to cover Strider's hands. Strider saw his look and smirked before putting out a hand. 

'Don't like the blood do we?' he asked, and Legolas moved over before Strider took back his hand and wrapped the meat they weren't going to eat in some extra parchment he had brought. He put the rest in a pot to boil, and went to wash off his hands. 

'You know, you're just like Elrohir. Afraid to get his hands dirty with a little bit of animal blood.' He said, and Legolas squinted to the young Ranger in the darkness. 

'I'm not afraid of the blood, I would just rather-'

'Not stain your clothes? Too dirty for you, your fair skin too handle?' he asked, Legolas' face now red with anger. He saw this and chuckled. 'Calm down, I was merely joking.'

'You were a riot.' Legolas said bitterly, and Strider sighed, watching the meat in the kettle turn brown. He was not used to this kind of hostility from an elf, and he for the life of him could not figure it out. 

'Did I unknowingly do something thing to you?' he asked finally, and Legolas looked at him. 

'No.' he said, and was so final that Strider did not say more. They ate in silence, and slept in silence, got up the next morning in silence, and went through the day in none other than silence. They were through the Pass by the end of the next day, and the clouds covered the sky. 

'It's going to rain tonight.' Legolas muttered, and looked at the sky. 'I will try and see if we may find shelter. That is a questionable thing, though.' Strider nodded, not in the mood to get wet, and said shortly 'I will help you search.' 

They went to the side of the mountain, where they were closest too, and Legolas found a rock jutting out from the side of the hill. It was small, but would fit the both of them, though the horses would have to be in the rain. 'They will find shelter under the trees.' He said to himself, and called to the young man fifty yards off. 'Strider, I have found a spot!' Strider joined him, and looked it over; making sure it was not a possible trap by goblins. 

'It was here, in this pass, that Bilbo and thirteen dwarves were taken captive by goblins. Elrond told me the story when I was merely eleven years of age, right after it happened.' Strider said as he took the packs and saddle off of his horse. 

'Yes, I remember that… they were held by my father weeks later, and after that Mithrandir told my father what really happened. But it is strange you were in Rivendell at such a young age!' Legolas said, helping Strider with his things. Strider lifted an eyebrow at the sudden show of kindness and started a fire. 

'I was raised in Rivendell.' He said, it was Legolas' time to be surprised. 

'You were raised in the Last Homely Houses?'

'Yes, why do you think I walk so quietly? Elrond's sons, Elrohir and Elladan taught me many of my skills.' Legolas suddenly could remember Elrohir referring to Strider as his 'younger brother.' It seemed they had counted him as if of kin.

'I seem to have forgotten Elrohir had spoken of you as such yesterday. I was still upset at…' he trailed off, not wanting to insult Lord Elrond in any way. 

'That we were sent to deliver a letter?' Strider asked, holding it in his hands, grinning. 'Yes, I was surprised at that too. He had a purpose for it, though, in some odd form or another.' They talked no more as their food cooked, until with a flash and rumble, the rain started. Legolas seemed to be thinking of something, so Strider let him be until there was another large crash and flash of lighting. In a shot, the horses became frightened, and bolted in opposite directions. 

'Lasbelin!' Legolas cried for his favorite horse, and jumped up, running in the cold after him. Strider did the same with his horse and they each ran to get it. 'For the sake of the Valar…' Legolas mumbled while he hurried through the forest. The horse easily gave a better chase, and he had to stop, calling out to it instead. 'Lasbelin, post!' he cried, but it did nothing, and in defeat he put his hands down. 'This is idiotic…' he said, and turned in anger back to the camp. He found Strider there, coming back as well. 

'Did you get him?' Strider asked, and Legolas shot him a look of death. 

'Do you even suppose I did?' He asked, and Strider rolled his eyes. Legolas' contempt was getting on his nerves. He decided against saying anything more, and threw his things on the ground. He was rather wet now, as was Legolas, but he knew he was more at risk of getting sick. He wrapped his cloak tightly around himself and took out his pipe, lighting it. 

'You smoke?' Legolas asked, and Strider looked at him. 

'No.' he answered, and Legolas huffed, staring into the fire. He eventually lay down and went to sleep, Strider doing the same. 'This is going to be a long few weeks.' 

And indeed they were. 

Something the man did always seemed to annoy the elf. Strider would burp; Legolas would sigh and mutter the rudeness of humans in Sindarin. 

Strider was surprised that they had yet to encounter any orcs. They were, after all, following the Misty Mountains. Ah, well, he should not complain; the less the better. But their pace was slow now that they were horseless, and they were an easy target. 

One day, as they were heading south, Legolas perched himself onto a large rock, looking south. There his eyes could see the small outline of a large forest. He let a smile creep onto his face. 

'Lothlorien…' he said, 'I have not been in those fair borders for a great time.' 

'I have not been in those borders at all. Lord Elrond had told me of them as a child… about the way it glows in its own light during the day and night.' 

'It is the fairest forest in the world, as Mirkwood had once been.' Legolas said, and hopped down. 'Yet a day away. Let us hope our luck runs to actually getting there.' 

'That is the first time you have referred to anything as luck.' Strider said, and Legolas shrugged. 

'I can not deny that something has kept the orcs away.' He said, and Strider nodded. 

'Yes, we should be thankful.' He said, and they kept walking. 

'I was particularly worried when we were in the High Pass. The war between the Dwarves and Orcs has been raging through there for years.' Legolas admitted, and the Ranger looked at him. 

'Legolas Greenleaf? The great son of Thranduil, worried? You surprise me.' Strider said, and Legolas chuckled. 

'Yes, though my aim _is legendary, I was worried. I have yet to see how skilled you are with that sword.'_

'It is nice to know you worry about me.' Aragorn said, and looked at the sky through the clouds. 'Night will fall soon; we should wait to get to Lorien tomorrow.' He said, and put down his pack. Legolas followed his lead, and put his down, starting the fire. The deer meat they had gotten had long-since spoiled, and they had only a small supply of lembas left. Strider had left to go hunt, but came back a little while later empty handed. 

'There is simply no game to be found around here.' He said, and sat down. 

'Thankfully we're near Lothlorien. I can do with out eating for a day.' Legolas said, and Strider nodded. His stomach turned in hunger, for he had not eaten the night before and at all today, but he would not let the elf get the better of him. 

During these long weeks Legolas had decided that there was no point in being hostile to the young ranger, and had decided to put his hatred aside. If you gave the man a chance, he really was quite tolerable. Legolas was still not sure if he could trust him totally, and had decided that Strider would have to earn that trust. 

'The stars are bright tonight, it should be a safe night.' Strider said, and Legolas looked at him in surprise. Men did not normally take time to study the stars. 

'How long have you been in the Wild alone?' Legolas asked absentmindedly, and Strider took a bite out of his lembas before replying. 

'I have been in the Wild for a year. If I was alone is questionable. Much of the time I was with other Rangers of the North, but when I was not I have a feeling Elladan was looking after me. He had yet to trust me completely on my own.' 

'Well, you are twenty years of age. I believe that's rather young, even for a man.' 


End file.
